Some of the produce from this year’s New Albany Community Garden will go to those in need, thanks to partnerships between the garden, the Village Coalition Against Hunger and New Albany-Plain Local Schools.
Last year, the coalition and garden were the recipients of a Scotts Miracle-Gro grant, from
Scott’s Urban Garden Academy, that allowed them to grow produce for those in need. This year, the coalition will again have two 4-by-16-foot plots, and garden volunteers will tend to another two plots. All the produce will go to the coalition.
“There’s a lot in the works,” says Angela Douglas, interim director of the coalition.
The coalition is working with the school district to distribute produce to families in the district with students in the free and reduced price lunch program. Every other week following the New Albany Farmers Market, volunteers will distribute bags of food to families in need. The food will be gathered from the garden produce as well as from market vendor donations.
Pamela Charles, food service coordinator for the school district, says the district will send letters to families with students in the federal lunch program to notify them of the available produce. The food, however, will be available to all families, regardless if they are part of the district or not.
“You never know if you’re going to need something,” Charles says.
This is not the first time that the two entities have worked together to provide food for students. For the last two years, the coalition has provided snacks for children in the elementary buildings.
Patrick Gallaway, director of communications for the district, says the district is thrilled to have another opportunity to work with the coalition to provide additional support to students.
The product partnership required some preparation. In April, coalition volunteers planted spinach, kale, peas and carrots. In May they planted tomatoes, potatoes and peppers, among other vegetables.
The garden’s dedicated coalition plots for spring included lettuce, radishes, carrots, chard, beets and cabbage, says Nanette Nardi Triplett, president of the garden. Summer plots include corn, peppers, green beans, cucumber, zucchini and tomatoes.
Other community organizations have also been utilizing the garden.
“NAWN has been a supporter of the garden,” says New Albany Women’s Network board member and past president Jennifer Glover.
In the past, members and their families had maintained the NAWN plot. This year, however, Glover approached board members to ask for permission to let her Girl Scout Daisy troop use the garden for a community service project.
Ten first-grade girls – including Glover’s daughter, Charlotte – planted flowers in early April.
They used their own troop funds to purchase seeds and dirt. Daisies, of course, were included. NAWN had always donated what it grew, and the Girl Scouts planned to do the same this year. The project, Glover says, fit in nicely with the lessons the girls were learning about community service and using resources wisely.
“It all tied together,” Glover says.
The girls will give their flowers to New Albany firefighters, police and library personnel in thanks for their service. The Girl Scouts’ work has helped earn them each a petal, a special badge for their service. The petals combine to create a flower.
For her part, Glover says the cooperation across community groups is what makes New Albany unique.
“I really appreciate and value that collaboration,” she says.
A Look at the Garden
The garden, now in its fifth year, has grown considerably since its inception, says Nanette Nardi Triplett, president of the New Albany Community Garden. While water was originally collected in rain barrels, a grant awarded two years ago from the Aetna Foundation allowed for the addition of a well and water pump.
The garden includes 52 plots that are dedicated for personal use. People grow vegetables and flowers, Nardi Triplett says, including tomatoes, peppers, zenia, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and radishes. Last year’s harvest included potatoes, corn and sunflowers.
The front of the garden includes an herb area for the city’s service department’s personal use. Nardi Triplett says the herbs were also given to chefs for use in the cooking classes carried out at the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany.
Last year, the garden yielded a total of 51.4 pounds of produce, Nardi Triplett says.
Nardi Triplett hopes the produce can be better protected this year with the addition of a fence around the garden, which will help reduce animal consumption.
Sarah Sole is editor of Healthy New Albany Magazine. Feedback welcome at ssole@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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